Arch support



Nov. 26, 1935; v M. LOBEL 2,022,247

ARCH SUPPORT 1 Filed Feb. 1, 1955 1N VEN TOR.

Me /v/'//e Lobe/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES ARCH SUPPORT Melville L'obel, Mount Vernon, N. Y.

Application February 1, 1935, Serial No. 4,432

3 Claims. (Cl. 36'71) This invention relates to arch-supporters of the type shown in Patent Number 1,261,042 dated April 2nd, 1918 and has for one of its objects the provision of such an arch-supporter in which the arch or bridge supporting plate is provided with either rounded or ball bearing contact means where it rests upon the base plate, in order to produce a highly flexible arch-supporter.

Another object of-the invention is to provide means for anchoring and holding the cushioning spring against accidental displacement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a substantially reenforced yet highly flexible arch-supporter that may be readily inserted into a shoe without alteration to the insole on the said shoe.

Another object is to produce a device of the character described in which the maximum simplicity of construction and operation is secured.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the improvements is better under-- stood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangement and co-relation of parts herein fully described, and illustratedin the accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference characters are used to describe corresponding parts throughout the several views, and. then finally pointed out and specifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present inventive concept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention is not to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, and the latter, therefore, is to be understood from an illustrative, rather than a restrictive standpoint. I

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving'a variety of mechanical expressions, one of'which, for the purpose of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved arch-supporter, with parts broken away for the sake of clarity.

thin resilient metal preferably steel. The base plate is normally arched (see Figure 2) and has secured thereto a leather cover 6 by means of rivets l. The central portion of the cover 6 is arched as at 8 to conform to the shape of the arch of the foot. The base plate is provided at one side thereof with a substantial curve 9 to conform to the contour of the inner sole portion of the shoe and to add to the resiliency of the plate. 7 10 Secured to the plate 5 by means of rivets I0 is a spring-like supporting bridge or arch ll provided with a plurality of resilient tongues or fingers I2, the said fingers being shaped similar to the arched portion 8 of the leather cover 6 to fit the arch of the foot. An arch supporting plate I4 is secured to the arch II by means of a rivet l5 and may be provided at the bottom thereof with cupped or partly spherical contacts l6 which are in contact with and rest upon the upper surface of the base plate 5. The bridge II and supporting plate M are reenforced by a reenforcing plate I! secured to the spring arch II by means of a rivet I8 and to the base plate 5 by means of some of the rivets Ill.

A supplemental cushioning device is provided between the arch reenforcing plate I! and the base 5, the said device comprising a coiled spring 20 which is anchored to the base plate by means of a stud 2| and to the plate H by a stud or rivet 22.

In Figure 4, I have shown a modified form of the arch-supporting plate, M, in which the cups, l6, are inverted and act as housings for balls, 23, which contact with and ride upon the top surface of the base plate, 5.

During the ambulatory movements, the ends of the supporting plate I4 will expand and retract and due to the cups IE5 or balls 23 the friction between the said plate and base will be 0 greatly reduced, thus adding to the resiliency of the device.

I also find that due to the reenforcing plate l1, spring anchors 2| and 22, a very efiicient arch support is provided in which the parts are highly flexible yet strong enough to Withstand hard wear and the cushioning spring cannot accidentally be displaced.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an arch-supporter, a resilient normally arched base-plate, a resilient bridge secured thereto, an arched resilient bridge supporting plate secured to the bridge, rounded contact means on the said supporting plate in contact with the base-plate, a reenforcing plate secured to the base plate and supporting plate, and a spring interposed between the base plate and supporting plate and anchored at the top and bottom thereof.

2. In an arch-supporter, a resilient normally arched base-plate, a resilient bridge secured thereto, an arched resilient bridge supporting plate secured to the bridge, ball-bearing contact 15 means on the said supporting plate in contact with the base-plate, a reenforcing plate secured to the base-plate and supporting plate, and a spring interposed between the base-plate and supporting plate and anchored at the top and bottom thereof.

3. In an arch-supporter, a resilient normally arched base-plate, a resilient bridge secured thereto, an arched resilient bridge supporting plate secured to the bridge, a re-enforcing plate secured to the base-plate and supporting plate, and a spring interposed between the base-plate and supporting plate and anchored at the top and bottom thereof.

MELVILLE LOBEL. 

